Heard Around Town

Policy

Free buses start on Sunday

A pilot program to test the feasibility of fareless buses is set to start Sept. 24.

New York City

Politics

Republicans parrot Eric Adams at Homeland Security Committee hearing on migrants

The GOP used Adams’ comments that the issue would “destroy the city,” to argue the border should be closed. Adams hasn’t called for closing the border.

Policy

Policy

DOC stopped providing tampons to detainees – despite 2016 law mandating it

The Department of Correction has a problem with menstruation, amid fears that tampons will be used to smoke drugs and menstrual cups will be used for “splashings.”

Policy

Policy

Report: Community preschool teachers paid half as much as public school teachers

Over the course of a 25-year career, educators working in privately-run preschool programs could make $690,000 less than public school teachers.

Labor

Policy

Staffing shortages are still disrupting New York City services

Ahead of a hiring freeze, the mayor’s management report showed how insufficient staffing hampered some agencies’ operations.

Education

Policy

Major felony crimes up in New York City schools

School safety has been a major focus after a string of high-profile incidents occurred outside school buildings last year.

Immigration

Policy

New York looks at options for state work authorization for asylum-seekers

Lawmakers including Catalina Cruz and Jenifer Rajkumar have introduced bills. Gov. Kathy Hochul said she’s considering “possible language.”

Policy

Policy

Judge rejects state prison system’s attempt to dismiss lawsuit over solitary confinement

The class action lawsuit was filed by a group of people incarcerated in state prisons, including one man who was sent to solitary confinement for 120 days after throwing sugar packets and urinating on the floor.

Labor

Policy

20,000 city jobs would stay vacant under Adams’ hiring freeze

Facing mounting asylum-seeker costs on top of other budget shortfalls, the mayor plans to use the tool for the first time.

Technology

Policy

Making a final push to get everyone in New York online

There are a few corners of New York state that still need broadband access.

Events

Policy

Brooklyn Army Terminal will host climate innovation pilot program

New York City Economic Development Corp. CEO Andrew Kimball announced the program’s launch at an economic and workforce development summit hosted by City & State.

Policy

Policy

4 things to watch this school year in NYC

A possible bus driver strike, thousands of new asylum-seeker students and a new reading curriculum will all define this year in the sprawling public school system.

Policy

Policy

Meta, TikTok and more take down thousands of subway surfing videos

Eric Adams has blamed social media for a lot. Now those platforms are stepping up to discourage subway surfing.

Cannabis

Policy

Crackdown on loophole allowing some stores to sell THC products draws complaints

The hemp cannabinoid industry fired back that new regulations approved by the Office of Cannabis Management are causing more harm than good to small businesses.

Opinion

Opinion

Opinion: Here’s how we ‘saved the Hudson’

The successful effort to ban nuclear waste discharges from Indian Point holds lessons – and warnings – for the entire state.

Heard Around Town

Policy

Venezuela, Ecuador and Colombia are top countries of origin for NYC asylum-seekers

More than a third of the 107,000 people who have arrived since last spring are Venezuelan, according to city data.

Policy

Policy

Adams: plan to close Rikers was ‘flawed from the beginning’

The mayor cited ballooning costs and more incarcerated people as reasons the complex may not close by the 2027 deadline.